Clothespin



Sept. 26, 1950 J. M. RODRIGUEZ CLOTHESPIN Filed Sept. 19, 1946 wnmzssss.

INVENTORE I Patented Sept. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTHESPYIN Joseph M. Rodriguez, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application September 19, 1946, Serial No. 697,926

8 Claims.

-My invention relates to an improvement in clothespins, and particularly to clothespins used in hanging clothes and fabrics on clotheslines to with the fabrics jammed between the clothespin and the clothes-line, have proven to be very expensive and troublesomadue to very frequently loosening and falling off the line, and many times splitting in two when too much pressure is exerted in wedging same with clothes to the line. Even though their initial cost is little, very frequently the weave of the clothes or fabrics is forced apart, so as to destroy, in some cases, expensive clothes. Ordinary clothesp-ins do not hold the clothes and particularly large pieces on the clothesline in windy weather. These and other objectio-nal characteristics are overcome by my improvement and invention herein described, and the object of the invention is to provide a; simple type of clothespin which will function more satisfactorily and easier to slip on, than Wooden pins hitherto used, and which willnot tend to injure the clothes held upon the washline.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple pin of the type described, which is formed out of one piece of strap spring material, and which may be easy to manufacture, and at a very low cost.

A further object of my invention is to provide.

a simple pin of strap springy material, which will slip on to and off the clothes hanging on the line with ease, and with no heavy rubbing pressure on the clothes or fabrics when so doing.

The final object of my invention is to provide with two narrow arms punched out of the center of the top portion of both legs, above the adjoining point of same, and extending upward, resiliently held together in the center of said bow,

' for clamping the clothes to the line, to prevent same from sliding longitudinally on the line, when the clothes get dried.

The legs are provided with several round or oval indentations in the longitudinal center of same below the adjoining point of the bow. The

7 Fig. 1 is an isometric general view of the.

1 clothespin of my invention showing how it faslegs 4 and 4A together.

tens the clothes to the line.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the clothespin showing the clamping arrangement of same with an article of clothing and line.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the con struction of the clothespin of my invention, showing, the arrangement of the indentations in the longitudinal center of the legs, the two symmetrical arms extending upward in the center of the bow, and the extreme ends of the legs thereof, bent outward and around upward in opposite direction to each other as small bows, to engage the clothes and line when sliding it onto same.

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the pin showing how the arms are punched out of the center of the top inclined portion of the legs and the arrangement of the indentations in the longitudinal center of same, which is the clamping part of the legs. Fig. 5 is a plan View of a modified shape of the indentations punched in the center of the clamping legs of the pin in accordance to the present invention.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of one of the arms punched out of one of the top portions of the leg, and which extends upward in the center of the bow. This shows how the arms are bent semi-round to avoid sharp edges from cutting the clothes when clamping same to the clothesline.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, it may be seen that l is the pin as a whole, which is formed from one continuous piece of strap springy material, preferably of an aluminum alloy of the type sold under the trade mark Duralumin or stainless steel. The pin is bent at one end to a bow fashion with a flat top 2, and the two adjacent ends 3, bent partly downward at an angle to provide two symmetrical legs 4 and 4A, resiliently held throughout their entire length. The fiat top portion of the bow 2, acts as a spring member, and resiliently supports the The lower extreme ends of the legs 16 "are bent outward opposite each other to an angle of approximately 45 degreeswith respect to the center line of same, and bent around and upward as small bows, to almost touch the outside walls of the legs as shown at I6, in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. These two bows of lip fashion will permit the legs of the pin to engage the clothesline with clothes when clamping same, and also prevent the sharp immediate ends from direct contact with the clothes and prevent tearing them.

The arms and 5A are punched out in the longitudinal center of the inclined top portion of the legs 6, so that the lower ends of the arms are adjacent to the legs 4 and 4A, as shown at l, and act as the spring parts of the arms. This is shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3, Fig. 4,"Fig'. 5 and Fig. 6.

The twoarms 5 and 5A are resiliently held together throughout their entire length, and likewise the legs 4 and 4A. This is obtained when said strap of hard springy material is bent to the bow shape 2 and 3.

The flat portion of the-bow permits the, arms 5 and 5A to expand laterally whensame engages the clothes 8 and line 9,,to hold same in a clamping fashion, as shown at It, to prevent the clothes.

the legs 4 of the pin. Said indentations fit tightly with springing pressure into indentations l2 and M of the opposite leg of the pin 4A, in a biting fashion as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. Other indentations are made. l3 and HA, in between both indentations I2 and I2A, and M and MA, at a convenient distance apart, and made in the opposite direction to that of I2 and [2A, and M and MA. These-three or more indentations function as .blunt teeth, which bite into the clothes and clamp same against each other as shown at I5 in Fig. 2, thereby clamping the clothes Btightly together between the legs 4 and 4A of the pin, and between the indentations above mentioned in a wave fashion which will prevent the clothes from slipping out of the pin and off the line.

It is understood, that changes, variations and modifications may be made in the, invention as come properly within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention orsacrificing any of its advantages, and therefore the forms shown are to be taken as illustrative only, and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A clothespin of the type described, consisting of a strap of hard springy material, bent to a bow shape at one end, to provide apair of symmetrical legs, with a flat portion on the top center of said bow, and the adjacent ends bent partly downward at an angle to compress said legs together, and to provide a springing pressure to both legs, one against the other downward throughout their entire length, with several indentations in the longitudinal center of both. legs, those of one leg fitting with springing pressure into the indentations of the opposite leg, with the extreme ends bent outward in opposite direction to an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the center line of both legs, and bent around upward as small bows, and a pair of symmetrical arms punched out of the top inclined portion of both legs, above their meeting point, extending upward in the center of the top bow, and resiliently held together throughout their entire length.

2. A clothespin of the type described consisting of a single piece of strap of hard springy material, bent in the center to a bow fashion, providing a pair of symmetrical legs, and said bow bent three sided, a flat top center portion, with two adjacent ends bent partly downward to an angle to force together under springing pressure the said two legs throughout their entire length, with a plurality of indentations conveniently spaced in the longitudinal center of said legs, those in one leg fitting under springing pressureinto the indentations of the opposite leg, and the extreme ends of said legs bent outward opposite each other at an angle of approximately 45 7 degrees with respect to the center line of same,

and bent upward as small bows, and a pair of small symmetrical arms resiliently held together throughout their entire length, and extending upward in the center of the top bow from the upper portions of said legs.

3. In a clothespin of the type described, a single piece of strap of hard springy material bent in the center to a bow fashion providing two symmetrical legs forced together under springing pressure to almost their entire length, with a plurality of indentations conveniently spaced in the longitudinal center of said legs at a short distance in from the longitudinal edges, with the indentations in one leg fitting tightly under springing pressure into the indentations of the opposite leg, and the extreme ends Of said legs bent outward opposite each other, and around and upward in the form of small bows at an angle of approximately 45 degrees each, with respect to the center line of said legs, and a pair of small symmetrical arms, punched out of the top portion of both legs, resiliently held together, and. extending upward into the center of the top bow.

4. In a clothespin of the type described, a single piece of strap of hard springy material, bent in the center to a three sided bow fashion, with a center flat portion, and two adjacent ends partly bent downward to an angle to provide two symmetrical legs resiliently held together throughout their entire length, with a plurality of indentations at a convenient distance apart in the longitudinal center of said legs and at a convenient distance in from both longitudinal edges of same, with the indentations in one leg fitting under springing pressure into the indentations of .the opposite leg, with the extreme ends of same bent outward opposite one another to an angle of approximately 45 degrees, and around and upward as small bows, and a pair of small narrow symmetrical arms of convenient length resiliently held together, and extending upward-in the center of the bow from the upper portions of both legs below the bow.

5. A clothespin for holding clothes on clotheslines, said clothespin comprising a bow-shaped yoke having a pair of legs integral therewith and projecting in parallel relation to each other downwardly therefrom, said yoke and said legs being made of springy material to enable the yoke to hold the legs in tensioned engagement with each other, a plurality of indentations in the longitudinal center of both legs, the indentations in one leg fitting into the indentations of. the other leg, and a pair of upwardly extending prongs inof said legs and projecting, in, parallel relation to each other and in alignment with said legs,

into the space encompassed by the bow-shaped yoke, said prongs being also made of the same spring material and being in tensioned engagement with each other, the relative positions of the prongs and. the legs being such as to enable the legs to engage the clothes below the clothesline and the prongs to engage the clothes against the clothesline.

6. A clothespin for holding clothes on clotheslines, said clothespin comprising a bow-shaped yoke having a pair of legs integral therewith and projecting, in parallel relation to each other downwardly therefrom, said yoke and said legs being made of springy material to enable the yoke to hold the legs in tensioned engagement with each other, and a pair of upwardly extending prongs integral at their lower ends with the upper portions of said legs and projecting, in parallel relation to each other and in alignment with said legs, into the space encompassed by the bow-shaped yoke, said prongs being also made of the same spring material and being in tensioned engagement with each other, the relative positions of the prongs and the legs being such as to enable the legs to engage the clothes below the clothesline and the prongs to engage the clothes against the clothesline, said legs being provided with registering and cooperating raised and recessed portions, those in one leg fitting into those of the opposite leg to enable said legs to engage the clothes tightly between them.

'7. A clothespin for holding clothes on clotheslines, said clothespin comprising a bow-shaped yoke having a pair of legs integral therewith and projecting downwardly therefrom, said yoke being made of springy material to hold the legs in parallel tensioned engagement with each other, and a pair of upwardly extending prongs integral at their lower ends With the upper portions of said legs and projecting in parallel relation into the space encompassed by the bow shaped yoke, said prongs being also made of the same spring material and being in tensioned engagement with each other, whereby spreading the legs apart to accommodate the clothesline between them causes the prongs to spread apart for the same purpose, and whereby spreading the prongs apart to release the clothespin from the clothesline causes the legs to spread for that same purpose.

8. A clothespin for holding clothes on a clothesline, said clothespin comprising an open, spring metal yoke, a pair of legs integral at their upper ends with said yoke and projecting downwardly therefrom in parallel, tensioned engagement with each other, and a pair of prongs which are integral at their lower ends with the upper ends of said legs, and which project upwardly from j said legs into said open yoke, said prongs being normally held by said legs in parallel, tensioned engagement with each other and in substantial alignment with said legs.

JOSEPH M. RODRIGUEZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,346,608 Pratt July 13, 1920 1,462,193 Cook July 1'7, 1923 1,695,166 Wilson Dec. 11, 1928 2,009,941 Mix July 30, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,039 Great Britain of 1903 50,209 Switzerland of 1910 146,050 Germany Nov. 5, 1903 433,827 France Nov. 7, 1911 

